France tune up for World Championship qualifiers with trip to Netherlands

France will meet Belarus, Belgium and Spain in World Championship qualifiers from January 3 to 5

Paris, France, December 28, 2013 – After completing the first stage of their preparations for the third-round of qualifiers for the World Championship, which France will host at the Carpentier Sports Hall in Paris January 3-5, the French players are in the Netherlands to play two friendly matches.

Fourteen players plus the coaching staff travelled to Rotterdam to spend three days in the Netherlands.

“We started our camp 10 days ago and there was a break of 48 hours so that the players could celebrate Christmas with their families,” head coach Laurent Tillie said. “The players are responding well and look in good shape. The friendly matches in the Netherlands will tell us more about where we stand.”

When they return from the Netherlands, the “Bleus” will spend another few days at the Carpentier Hall ahead of the qualifying tournament, in which they will play Belarus, Spain and Belgium.

The Netherlands will travel to Opava to play hosts the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Cyprus.

The winners of the five third-round qualifiers together with the best second-placed team will complete the European contingent for the 2014 FIVB Men’s Volleyball World Championship that already includes hosts Poland, 2013 European champions Russia and the silver medallists from this year’s European Championship, Italy.